Effects of feeding canola meal from high-protein or conventional varieties of canola seeds on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and cutability of pigs.

The objectives of this experiment were to determine growth performance, visceral mass differences, carcass characteristics, fresh meat quality, and carcass cutability of growing-finishing pigs fed diets containing high-protein canola meal (CM-HP) or conventional canola meal (CM-CV). Seven dietary treatments were fed to investigate effects of increasing inclusion rates of CM-HP or CM-CV in a corn-soybean meal diet containing no canola meal (control). Inclusion rates were 33, 66, or 100% replacement of soybean meal with either CM-HP or CM-CV. Pigs (140 barrows and 140 gilts; 2 barrows and 2 gilts per pen) were fed experimental diets in 3 phases with each phase lasting 35, 28, and 28 d, respectively. Within each phase, diets were formulated to be similar in concentrations of standardized ileal digestible indispensable AA and in standardized total tract digestible P, but NE concentrations were not equalized among diets. At the conclusion of the experiment, 1 pig per pen was harvested. Over the 91-d growing-finishing period, no effects of CM-HP on ADG, ADFI, or G:F were observed, but final BW tended ( = 0.06) to be reduced as increasing levels of CM-HP were included in the diets. There was a linear increase ( < 0.05) in ADFI and a linear reduction ( < 0.05) in G:F as CM-CV inclusion level increased. Pigs fed CM-CV also had greater ( < 0.05) ADG and ADFI than pigs fed diets containing CM-HP. There was a linear increase ( < 0.01) in liver weights, as a percentage of live weight, as CM-CV inclusion increased, but that was not the case if CM-HP was included in the diets. There was a linear increase ( < 0.05) in kidney weights, as a percentage of live weight, as CM-HP or CM-CV inclusion increased. There were no differences among treatments for ending live weight, HCW, carcass yield, loin eye area, 10th rib backfat thickness, or estimated carcass lean. Shear force, cook loss, LM moisture, LM extractible lipid, and drip loss were also not different among treatment groups. There were no differences among treatments for any subjective LM quality evaluations (color, marbling, firmness). Pigs fed CM-HP had increased ( < 0.05) boneless lean cutting yields and boneless carcass cutting yields compared with pigs fed CM-CV. In conclusion, CM-HP and CM-CV may fully replace soybean meal as protein supplements in growing-finishing pig diets without substantially impairing pig performance or carcass quality.

Effects of feeding high protein or conventional canola meal on dry cured and conventionally cured bacon.

Objectives were to compare belly, bacon processing, bacon slice, and sensory characteristics from pigs fed high protein canola meal (CM-HP) or conventional canola meal (CM-CV). Soybean meal was replaced with 0 (control), 33, 66, or 100% of both types of canola meal. Left side bellies from 70 carcasses were randomly assigned to conventional or dry cure treatment and matching right side bellies were assigned the opposite treatment. Secondary objectives were to test the existence of bilateral symmetry on fresh belly characteristics and fatty acid profiles of right and left side bellies originating from the same carcass. Bellies from pigs fed CM-HP were slightly lighter and thinner than bellies from pigs fed CM-CV, yet bacon processing, bacon slice, and sensory characteristics were unaffected by dietary treatment and did not differ from the control. Furthermore, testing the existence of bilateral symmetry on fresh belly characteristics revealed that bellies originating from the right side of the carcasses were slightly (P≤0.05) wider, thicker, heavier and firmer than bellies from the left side of the carcass.

A comparison of slice characteristics and sensory characteristics of bacon from immunologically castrated barrows with bacon from physically castrated barrows, boars, and gilts.

The objectives were to compare slice characteristics and sensory attributes of bacon from immunologically castrated (IC) barrows with bacon from other sexes using a trained sensory panel. Bacon was obtained for sensory evaluation from 3 experiments. In Exp. 1, trimmed and squared bellies (n=180) of IC barrows, IC barrows fed ractopamine hydrochloride (IC+RAC), physically castrated (PC) barrows, intact males (IM), and gilts were used. Data were analyzed as a general linear mixed model and pen (n=48) served as the experimental unit. Treatment (sex or diet) was a fixed effect in all 3 experiments. In Exp. 2, untrimmed, natural fall bellies (n=96) from IC and PC barrows fed 0 or 30% or a withdrawal distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) program when slaughtered at 5 wk after the second dose (25 wk of age) were used. In Exp. 3, untrimmed, natural fall bellies (n=96) from IC and PC barrows fed the same experimental diets as in experiment 2 but slaughtered at 7 wk after the second dose (27 wk of age) were used. Data from Exp. 2 and 3 were analyzed as a 2×3 factorial arrangement in a randomized complete block design and pen was the experimental unit. Bellies from all 3 experiments were processed using the same protocols. In Exp. 1, IM had the greatest (P<0.0001) boar aroma and flavor scores among all treatments. No differences were detected among the other treatment groups for boar aroma or flavor. Intact males had the least (P<0.0001) desirable cured bacon aroma and flavor among all treatments. No differences were detected among the other treatment groups for bacon aroma or flavor. There were no differences in bacon aroma or off-flavor between IC and PC barrows slaughtered at 5 wk after the second dose regardless of DDGS feeding program. Bacon from PC barrows was saltier (P<0.01) than bacon from IC barrows when slaughtered at 5 wk after the second dose. There were no differences in bacon aroma, off-aroma, bacon flavor, or saltiness between IC and PC barrows slaughtered at 7 wk after the second dose regardless of DDGS feeding program. Total slice area of bacon slices from IC barrows slaughtered at 5 wk after the second dose were less (P<0.01) than PC barrows, but the differences diminished (P=0.16) when slaughtered at 7 wk after the second dose. Overall, panelists successfully detected boar odor and flavor in Exp. 1. Immunological castration was as effective as physical castration at eliminating boar aroma and boar flavor in bacon even when feeding differing DDGS feeding programs or when slaughtered at 5 or 7 wk after the second dose.

The effects of a step-up ractopamine feeding program on growth performance and low-sodium ham characteristics of purebred Berkshire pigs.

Objectives were to test the effect of a low-sodium curing solution on processing characteristics of hams from purebred Berkshire pigs that were fed a step-up ractopamine HCl (RAC) feeding program or a negative control diet. Sixty pairs (n=120) of hams were selected from two blocks of purebred Berkshire pigs (n=200) that were fed either a control diet or 7.4 mg of ractopamine/kg of diet for 14 d followed by 10.0 mg of ractopamine/kg of diet for the last 14 d before slaughter. Three-piece, section-formed hams were cured with a standard (1.98% NaCl; REG) curing solution or a low-sodium with KCl replacement (0.67% NaCl and 1.29% KCl; LOW) curing solution. Pigs fed RAC had 3.18% greater BW, 11.90% greater ADG, and 10.34% greater G:F compared with control pigs. No differences (P≥0.07) were detected for the effect of diet, curing solution, or the interaction between diet and curing solution for ham weights, pump uptake, or cook yield [(cooked weight/green weight) 100]. Break strength (an indication of protein interaction and bind strength; 5.97 vs. 6.99 kg) and protein fat-free values (24.58 vs. 25.98%) were less (P≤0.05) in hams cured with LOW curing solution compared with hams cured with REG curing solution. Lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) values were greater (P≤0.03), while redness (a*) values were less (P<0.01) in hams cured with LOW curing solution compared with hams cured with REG curing solution. A trained sensory panel detected less (P=0.03) flavor intensity in hams cured with LOW curing solution compared with hams cured with REG curing solution. Yet, no differences (P≥0.55) were detected between hams cured with LOW or REG curing solution for saltiness. Overall acceptability of hams cured with LOW curing solution tended to be less (P=0.09) compared with hams cured with REG curing solution; however, the magnitude of this difference was 0.34 on a 1 to 9 scale. Hams cured with LOW curing solution made hams paler and contain less intense flavor compared with hams cured with REG curing solution, but this was a justifiable way to lower sodium content by 64% units (1.44 vs. 4.04% Na) without detrimental processing or sensory effects.

Is malnutrition overdiagnosed in older hospitalized patients? Association between the soluble interleukin-2 receptor and serum markers of malnutrition.

BACKGROUND: Many researchers have speculated that markers of malnutrition such as albumin, prealbumin, cholesterol, and transferrin are influenced by inflammation. The mechanism of this interaction has not been well understood. METHODS: This was a prospective cross-sectional study. We evaluated 72 male patients older than 60 years admitted to a geriatric rehabilitation unit. Subjects with severe hepatic or renal diseases were excluded. We measured body mass index, caloric intake, serum albumin, prealbumin, cholesterol, transferrin, hemoglobin, and total lymphocyte count. To detect inflammation, we measured C-reactive protein, Westergren sedimentation rate, fibrinogen, and cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), IL-6, IL-2, and the soluble IL-2 receptor. RESULTS: Soluble IL-2 receptor was negatively associated with albumin (r = -.479, p < .0001), prealbumin (r = -.520, p = < .0001), cholesterol (r = -.487, p = .0001), transferrin (r = -.455, p = .0002), and hemoglobin (r = -.371, p = .002). TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, and IL-2 were not associated with these measures. CONCLUSIONS: Inflammation increases the incidence of hypoalbuminemia and hypocholesterolemia, potentially leading to overdiagnosis of malnutrition. We suggest that albumin, cholesterol, prealbumin, and transferrin be used with caution when assessing the nutritional status of older hospitalized patients. In the future, soluble IL-2 receptor levels might be used to correct for the impact of inflammation on these markers of malnutrition.